The invention relates to a handheld remote control unit for electrical devices, in particular for an item of functional furniture and accessory devices. The invention also relates to an electromotive furniture drive with such a handheld remote control unit.
Such handheld remote control units have proven themselves well in practice. Viewed generally, handheld remote control units increase the operating convenience of any electrical device. In practice, this means that the user has to have a plethora of different handheld remote control units at hand and has to change between the handheld remote control units depending on the selection of the device to be operated. A first known solution for obtaining operating convenience relates to a holding unit, which presents the variety of different handheld remote control units in reachable proximity to the operator. A further known solution relates to a type of universal handheld remote control unit, whereby one can manage at least a number of different audio, video, satellite, and television devices by switching over or by free programming. Such handheld remote control units are known as infrared remote control units having unidirectional transmission link.
Electrical devices of a home installation, for example, lights, roller blinds, windows, blinds, heating controller, and others, can also each be provided with a handheld remote control unit, to enable remote control of the respective device of the home installation.
An exemplary handheld remote control unit for an item of functional furniture in the form of an electrically operated armchair is known from DE 201 16 908 U1. A plurality of electrical devices which are arranged in the furniture can be operated thereby. Electrical adjustment motors for movable armchair components or electrical massage units, which are installed or integrated in the armchair, would be conceivable. This handheld remote control unit furthermore has a wired transmission link in the form of a connection cable, whereby the control signals are fed into a control unit of the armchair.
An item of functional furniture is provided with at least one electromotive furniture drive. Such an electromotive furniture drive is attached in the furniture, which has fixed and movable furniture components. Fixed furniture components are, for example, frame components. Movable furniture components are, for example, solid or springy-yielding support surfaces of upholstery or a mattress of seating and/or recumbent furniture.
The electromotive furniture drive is used for adjusting the movable furniture components. In this case, the adjustment movement and drive force generated by the electromotive furniture drive are transmitted to the respective movable furniture component, wherein the electromotive furniture drive is supported on a fixed furniture component and adjusts the movable furniture component in relation to the fixed furniture component. The electromotive furniture drive can also be attached between two movable furniture components, wherein it can adjust them in relation to one another.
Electromotive furniture drives are known from the prior art in a variety of different embodiments for different usage cases and purposes, for example, as single drives, double drives, and multiple drives. An electromotive furniture drive can be provided with a control device, which is connected to a handheld remote control unit.
Furthermore, different items of functional furniture having different functions are known. The execution of the functions can be performed by electrical devices. Such functions are, for example, adjustment of movable furniture parts by means of electromotive furniture drives, massage devices, heaters, lights, and others. The electrical devices are integrated in the functional furniture.
It is also possible that some functions are not integrated in the item of functional furniture, but rather are attached as electrical accessory devices and are removable again, for example, heating cushions, massage units, and others.
A shared handheld remote control unit, typically together with an electromotive furniture drive, is associated with the electrical devices integrated in the item of functional furniture. The removable electrical accessory devices can each have a separate handheld remote control unit having a separate controller. However, it is also possible that specific, removable devices are connectable later to a shared control device of the functional furniture.
Furthermore, items of furniture having electrical devices, for example, cabinets, dressers, and the like having different lights are also known. Handheld remote control units can also be used here.